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Writer's pictureDanielle McLean

Reflecting on 2023: HYSKY Society's First Year of Achievements

Updated: Apr 4

by Danielle McLean, CEO of HYSKY Society


futuristic airport at hysky research center to decarbonize aviation with hydrogen
HYSKY Airport

Celebrating Our 1st Year!

HYSKY 2023 Stars: Awards of the Year


2023 has been a year of extraordinary accomplishments at HYSKY Society, and it's time to shine a spotlight on the remarkable individuals who have played pivotal roles in our journey. Their dedication, innovation, and leadership have been instrumental in advancing our mission in hydrogen aviation.


 

Person of the Year: Rishav Shrestha


It is with immense pride that we announce Rishav Shrestha as our Person of the Year. As HYSKY's COO and co-founder, Rishav has been the cornerstone of our operations, demonstrating unparalleled dedication and visionary leadership. His daily contributions, long before our funding was secured, have showcased the power of commitment and teamwork. Behind every successful venture stands a formidable team, and Rishav has been fundamental in building ours.


Rishav Shrestha, coo of hysky society ad ceo of Garudeus aviation person of the year award
Dr. Rishav Shrestha

 

Board Member of the Year: Shola Oyewole


Acknowledging the extraordinary contribution of our board members, we are honored to present Shola Oyewole with the Board Member of the Year award. Stepping into a new realm of reporting to a board was a challenging and daunting experience, but Shola made this journey smoother and more insightful. His early morning discussions, amidst his personal commitments, have consistently guided us in the right direction. Shola's input has not only shaped our present but has laid a solid foundation for our future. We are profoundly grateful for his wisdom, dedication, and inspiring leadership.


Shola Oyewole vp at united therapeutics and board member at hysky society
Shola Oyewole

 

Podcast Guest of the Year: Dr. Martine Rothblatt


The HYSKY Pod Podcast Guest of the Year award goes to an individual whose contributions have been exceptionally enlightening and impactful. This year, we are thrilled to honor Dr. Martine Rothblatt. Martine's episode on our podcast was more than just a conversation; it was an inspiring journey through her innovative use of hydrogen in aviation, particularly in transporting organs for transplants. Her profound insights and pioneering spirit in AI have captivated our listeners and elevated the discourse around hydrogen aviation and AI. Martine, thank you for leaving an indelible mark on our audience and greatly contributing to the success and reach of HYSKY Pod.


Martine Rothblatt futurist hydrogen aviation artificial intelligence immortality
Dr. Martine Rothblatt, courtesy of Andre Chung

 

Donor of the Year: SoCalGas


Our Donor of the Year award recognizes the generous support that has been crucial in advancing HYSKY Society's mission. This year, we extend our heartfelt thanks and acknowledgment to SoCalGas. Your substantial support has been a cornerstone in enabling us to drive forward our initiatives and projects in hydrogen aviation. Contributions like yours allow us to continue innovating, educating, and leading in this critical field. SoCalGas, your commitment to sustainable energy solutions and belief in our vision have been a source of immense encouragement. We are grateful for your partnership and unwavering support, which have been vital to our achievements this year.


Matt Gregori of SoCalGas venture capital investor strategy hydrogen board member at hysky society
Matt Gregori, SoCalGas



socalgas logo











We are beyond grateful to each of our Annual Awardees. You helped HYSKY reach heights we've only dreamt of! Thank you, Rishav, Shola, Martine, and Matt from the bottom of our hearts.


 


Congratulations to Our Prize Winners


This year's HYSKY Society end-of-year event was a celebration of achievements and a time of giving back to our wonderful community.


The Lucky Jacket Winners


Our warm congratulations go to the winners of the HYSKY Society jackets. These jackets, embodying the spirit of innovation and collaboration in hydrogen aviation, have found their proud owners.


HYSKY pullover jacket hysky society hydrogen aviation swag
HYSKY Jacket

  • Jay Hawkins

  • Susanne Svensdotter

  • Danny Maco


The Lucky T-Shirt Winners


A big shout-out to the winners of our exclusive HYSKY Society "Hydrogen, it Won't Shoot Your Eye Out" shirts! These t-shirts are THE BEST conversation starter for warming people up to hydrogen aviation and are a symbol of your active support and enthusiasm for HYSKY.


HYSKY "it won't shoot your eye out" T-Shirt christmas story hydrogen shirt
HYSKY "hydrogen, it won't shoot your eye out" T-Shirt

  • Philip Hodge

  • Michael Lewison

The Lucky FLYING HY 2024 Ticket Winners


Huge congrats to our FLYING HY 2024 ticket winners!


  • Daniel Tappana, MBA

  • Herminio Duque Lustosa


Each winner contributes to the vibrant tapestry of HYSKY Society, and we are overjoyed to celebrate your participation and support. Congratulations again to all our winners!


 

HYSKY Monthly 2023 Recap


It's hard to believe that we've recorded 49 90-minute HYSKY Monthly webinars. That's 73.5 hours of hydrogen aviation content!!

2023 featured a diverse range of speakers who brought their expertise to HYSKY Monthly and we're excited to announce that recordings are now available on our YouTube channel for free.

Presenting hours of hydrogen aviation content from HYSKY Monthly's 2023 Distinguished Speakers:


Not to pull a Wikipedia move but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE consider making a donation to help us keep our content free.


January

Edward (Ned) Meagher, Partner at Carter De Luca

February

Dr. Stefan Mändl, CEO of SilentWings

March

Peter Connors, Partner at Orrick

April

Johannes Garbino-Anton, CTO of NEX Aero

May

Tom Freund of Dig.y.sol

June

Special Presentation by HYSKY CEO, Danielle McLean

July

Sergio Cecutta, Founder of SMG Consulting

August

Howard Kass, Former Executive at Lilium

September

Jeffrey Chase of SoCalGas and Marc Wiseman of Arthur D Little

October

Mark Kirby, Former CEO of CHFCA

November

Gaël Le Bris of WSP

December

Danielle McLean, CEO HYSKY Society

We invite you to explore these sessions, register for upcoming webinars, enrich your knowledge, join the conversation, and consider making a donation. Everything helps and it's tax deductible!


2023 Achievements at HYSKY Society


As we look back on 2023, it stands out as a year marked by groundbreaking achievements for HYSKY Society. Our journey began with the official launch of our organization, setting the stage for a transformative year in advancing hydrogen aviation.

Significant highlights include establishing a crucial educational partnership with Moran Innovation to develop the Hydrogen Aviation Curriculum. This collaboration is instrumental in expanding education in the field of hydrogen aviation.


Matt Moran innovation Danielle McLean hysky hydrogen aviation course curriculum aiaa vertical flight society
HYSKY Hydrogen Aviation Course


Another defining moment of the year was hosting FLYING HY, the world’s largest hydrogen aviation event, in collaboration with the BBI UAS Summit and Expo in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Bringing the H2 aviation community together was electric! Special thanks and shout-out to Jim Falasco of AeroGear Telemetry for helping make it happen!

Speakers at FLYING HY:

  • Danielle McLean, HYSKY Society

  • Mike Hirschberg, Vertical Flight Society

  • Fiona McKay, ZeroAvia

  • John Piasecki, Piasecki Aircraft Corp

  • Dr. Julia Bodnarik, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

  • Martin Chan, Stratospheric Platforms

  • Dr. Josef Kallo, H2Fly

  • Joseph Rainville, Bell Flight

  • Pradeep Thangappan, Aerostrovilos

  • Shane Morris, Booz Allen Hamilton

  • Jim Jung, Interstate Traveler Co. LLC

  • Santh Sathya, LuftCar

  • Bill Spellane, Alaka'i Technologies

  • Matt Moran, Moran Innovations

  • Ferguson Dale, Semper Sky, LLC

  • Rex J Alexander, 5-Alpha

  • Rob Oldroyd, Moreton & Company

  • Jérôme Gosset, Pyonnier

  • Norbert Palenstijn, Leybold Inc.

  • Mark van Wyk, FlyH2 Aerospace

  • Mark Haberbusch, NEOEx

  • Dave Franks, SAE

  • Lt Col Michael A. Dunn, USAF

Ginormous thanks to FLYING HY sponsors!


luftcar socalgas vertical flight society evtol insights sae h2fly moreton and co g3 leybold

luftcar socalgas vertical flight society evtol insights sae h2fly moreton and co g3 leybold

We also witnessed the launch of the HYSKY Pod, AI Mastery, and EVE, HYSKY's electronic virtual entity chatbot. If you want to experience EVE, just go to hysky.org and click the little message icon in the corner.


To address the DOE clean hydrogen demand-side initiative, HYSKY launched the Hydrogen for All Alliance (HYFA) in partnership with USI Inc, Orrick, and Moreton and Co. We're all optimistic about how HYFA can fuel underserved communities.





 

Support Our Mission


As HYSKY Society continues to spearhead advancements in hydrogen aviation, the support of our community is more crucial than ever. We are committed to offering high-quality, informative content through our monthly webinars and other initiatives, ensuring that everyone interested in hydrogen aviation can access the latest insights and developments.

To sustain and expand these valuable efforts, we kindly ask for your support. Your donations are vital in allowing us to offer these webinars and other resources at no cost. Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a significant impact and helps us continue our mission of educating, innovating, and leading in the field of hydrogen aviation.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to HYSKY Society. You can easily contribute by visiting Donate to HYSKY Society. For added convenience, a QR code is also available for quick and seamless donations.

Your generosity and support are not only greatly appreciated but also essential in helping us keep our content free and accessible to all. Together, we can continue to make strides in advancing hydrogen aviation and fostering a sustainable future.





 

Upcoming Events and Registration Links


Looking ahead to 2024, HYSKY Society is excited to host and participate in several key events, furthering our commitment to hydrogen aviation. We encourage our community to join us in these upcoming opportunities for learning, networking, and collaboration.

H2Hubs Summit: Meet the Winners: We are thrilled to invite you to the H2Hubs Summit, a crucial event for those interested in the future of hydrogen infrastructure development. Join us to hear from all seven DOE-selected H2Hubs. Register for the summit here, and explore sponsorship opportunities here.


HYSKY Monthly with Bentzion Levinson of HevenDrones: Don't miss our upcoming HYSKY Monthly session featuring HevenDrones. Secure your spot here and be part of the conversation shaping the future of hydrogen aviation.

These events are not just meetings; they are platforms for growth, innovation, and shaping the future of aviation. Your participation makes our community stronger and our collective voice louder. We look forward to seeing you there!


 

Closing Thoughts


As we close 2023, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to each member of the HYSKY Society community. Your enthusiasm, participation, and support have been the driving forces behind our accomplishments. Together, we have navigated the challenges and celebrated the milestones of hydrogen aviation, and we look forward to continuing this journey with you in 2024.

Stay connected with us for more updates, insights, and opportunities to engage. We are excited about the future and are committed to making hydrogen aviation an integral part of a sustainable and innovative transportation landscape.

Thank you for being an essential part of our journey. We wish you happy holiday's and a happy new year. Here's to a bright and promising new year ahead!

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